Smart City Innovation Center
A hub of innovation and partnerships for the city and regions of tomorrow
The Smart City Innovation Center (SCIC) is a collaborative innovation hub developed within IMREDD. A genuine interface between research, local authorities and businesses, it accelerates the digital, energy and environmental transition of regions by supporting the development of high-impact projects.
The SCIC offers a unique framework that enables researchers, engineers, start-ups and institutions to design, test and evaluate technological solutions for sustainable cities: intelligent buildings, connected mobility, energy management, air quality, 5G networks, bio-based materials, etc.
Accelerating applied research and urban innovation
The Smart City Innovation Center supports projects from the experimentation phase (TRL 4 to 6) through to technological demonstration (TRL 8).
Thanks to its facilities and expertise, it can take you from idea to prototype, and then from prototype to implementation in the region.
Each project combines a multi-disciplinary approach, integrating technical, societal, economic and environmental dimensions, to deliver innovation that is truly adapted to the needs of users and public decision-makers.
The three areas of the Smart City Innovation Center
Maker Space - from idea to prototype
Covering more than 1,200 m², Maker Space is a technical innovation centre dedicated to prototyping and manufacturing.
It enables technologies to be designed, tested and validated in strategic areas:
- Additive manufacturing and bio-based materials: development of new materials inspired by nature, physico-chemical analysis and characterisation of structures.
- Agile and sustainable industry: rapid prototyping, 3D micro-fabrication, eco-responsible design integrating environmental impact.
- Smart Home and Energy : test area for connected objects, recharging systems, batteries, sensors and building energy management solutions.
These areas are equipped with test benches, characterisation facilities and living labs for experimenting under real conditions.
DATUM - data at the heart of the intelligent city
The DATUM space manages the entire lifecycle of urban data: collection, standardisation, simulation and real-time visualisation.
- Screenplay: digital staging of technological uses and scenarios in simulated environments (robots, sensors, environmental data).
- Digital simulation: creation of virtual environments («sandboxes») enabling players to test their solutions on real territorial data in complete safety.
These modelling and analysis tools support projects linked to the connected city, intelligent mobility and resource management.
Showroom: a showcase for regional innovation
The Showroom (200 m²) is an interactive space for demonstrations and science education.
It presents the innovations and research projects carried out at IMREDD through :
- From walls of screens displaying in real time Intelligent building and regional data (energy, air, flows, environment).
- From models and demonstrators connected to the DATUM space.
- From thematic areas dedicated to the major challenges of the 21st century: adapting to global change, energy transition, preserving the environment, mobility and sustainable resource management.
Structural investment in innovation
The development of the Smart City Innovation Centre represented €5.7 million of investment between 2015 and 2020, financed by :
European Union - ERDF: €1.5m
- French government: €0.4m
- South Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region: €0.6m
- Alpes-Maritimes department: €0.5m
- Nice Côte d'Azur metropolitan area: €0.75m
- Corporate partners: €1.3m
This funding has enabled IMREDD to acquire cutting-edge equipment to support research and innovation for sustainable and intelligent cities.
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